The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1887-04-30
sAIREY's PRISONER.

On still, hazy afternoon in the month
of October, 1877, heavily laden, canvas
covered wagon drawn by pair Of jaded
mules, plowed its way through ridge OF
low sand hills, which divide the Loup from
the Platte valley, Neb. The spring seat in
front held as oddly an assorted couple as
had ever crossed those lonely hills, which
at that time formed the southern boundary
of the Pawnee Indian Reservation.
The man was hunchback, his body
thick-set, his legs short and slender. His
broad, though misshapen shoulders, were
surmounted by alarge head, covered with
an extravagant growth of red, bristling
hair. He possessed pair of twinkling
blue beads for eyes, a fat nose and a sup
positions mouth, concealed by dense
growth of whiskers. This is a fair por-
trait of Andrew Brennan known back in
Missouri from whence he came as "And, -
and also as man whose genial disposition
greatly belied his looks.
OF Sairey, his daughter, who shared with
him the seat, it can be said that she was a
white-faced, looking girl OF
twenty-five, with a mass of tawney hair
and pair of intelligent gray eyes, we'll
opened, and in which appeared look of
protective tenderness whenever they
rested on And's grim and spider-like pro-
portions. To her, lie now and for many
years had filled the offices of both father
and mother.
'Hain't we e'enmost thar, paw % queried
Sairey, with an air of intense WEAKNESS.
"1'm clean beat out with Their alfred
joltin."
'Only one section furder, sairey, an Their
trail goes kitterin' katterin' acrost that
Dye see the win mill yander; right ker-
slap over Dolls head 2 Thet's Their place,
thet's Hank Wells post Office"
And impaired this cheering intelligence
In wheezy undertone and pointing in the
direction he had indicated with his black
snake whip. The sskitterin' katterin'"
road was soon passed over and the en-
igrant wagon rumbled up to the door Of a
low, black sod house, and the travellers were
greeted with duet from brace IF NANCY
herd-dogs. This salute had the effect Of
bringing the whole Wells connection, great
and small, on the scene with suddenness
that suggested the idea that And and Sairey
had been 'staken stock Off from sundry
peep-holes while approa ching the prem
Ises.
"Howdy, ne1ghbor," wheezed And, re-
moving clay pipe from the dense chap.
parel which concealed his mouth
"Hank'' Wells, P. NJ, had by this time
gained the side of the wagon and stood
with one foot on the ground, the other
braced against the hub of the front wheel.
elbow dye do, stranger, an you, too,
Miss?" replied the owner of the post-of1ce,
shaking hands with And while ducking his
head politely at sairey; (which way might
re be goina"
"Well, yer see, neighbour" said And, Il,
depends mostly on you uns ez ter whether
we moves along er gifts er grub stake right
hyar. Me an Sairey hev homesteaded the
northwest quarter of section twenty-five,
township fifteen, range eight, west, an we
kalkilated ter stop with you uns spell
tell could git the 'dobe patched up a bit,
tibet is, eff we could make hitch"
The postmaster shifted the foot on the
hub to terra drma, and telegraphed the
question to Cinthy, his wife. She had re-
manned framed in the doorway of the sod
"dugout," which humble edifice served the
dual purpose of milk house in summer and
storm house in winter. The signal was OBJ
served by And, and he hasted to reassure
The somewhat feshy power behind the
throne of their desirability as boarders by
saying:
1--WE hain't over particular, me al.
Sairey hain't; an ct so be ez yer air short
Nv shake.downs, why, we can sleep in the
Vaughn hyar, and Pill pay yer either in
days. works with Their mules, er green
backs, which sumever you unsud ruther:"
And's pat alilusion to greenbacks settled
the question, and Cinthy came around to
Eairey's side Of the wagon with late
show of alacrity.
"so you've taken up the old Kelloge
claim, eh2 Light right out and come in,
miss: Now I'll lay you're right smart
shook up with yer trip"
Sairey availed herself Of this tardy invl.
tation, and followed her corpulent hostess
into the house. The cottonwood plank
aoor was bare and badly warped. A lounge
made of rough pine graced the side of the
room, and kitchen table, milk safe, six
splint chairs and wash bench completed
the portable property. In the way Of dec
prative art, the walls were guiltless of or.
unless the one-color itho.
graph embellishing the door was pathetic
xtempt to the higher life.
The winter passed away: The fame OF
Salrey's cooking spread from one end OF
the mail-carrier's route to the other. and
seldom day passed without bringing
some cattle-man or traveller to sup or lodge
within And's halfway hotel
Again it was toward the close Of another
tolden October day, the anniversary Of
And and Sairey's advent into the Loup val
Icy, one year ago. sairey, curled up in the
,nrinr seat of the wagon, which she had